By Olivia Burns
Memphis, Tennessee based rock trio, The Band CAMINO made the long awaited trip for their headlining tour in Australia. Fans at a sold out show at Melbourne’s 170 Russell were lucky enough to catch their debut down under. Joining them was Australian-based singer songwriter, Kian.
Fans filled the venue as Kian jumped on stage, starting off the night with his song “Childism”. Kian was the singer accompanied by two band members and his music had RnB, rap and acoustic influences to it. While his music was laid back, it was easy and enjoyable listening and got the concert goers warmed up for the main event.
As the crowd was waiting in anticipation, the lights dimmed, the intermission music faded and intro music started and light beams darted across the stage. Suddenly, silhouettes emerged from the shadows, greeted by cheers as Jeffery, Garrison, and Spencer took their positions on stage.
Kicking off their set with the infectious energy of their latest album’s title track, “Afraid of the Dark,” the band wasted no time in captivating the audience. In a quiet moment there were yells from the back of the room requesting “Berenstein”, a song that a lot of people love but yet they leave off the setlist, but the request was denied to everyone’s disappointment as Perth was lucky enough to hear that song live. Interludes between songs were filled with banter, by Jeffrey which included a heartfelt appreciation for the audience resonating throughout the venue. He also talked about their journey as a band, which has been a grind of one song, one album and one tour stop at a time and that they haven’t just ‘blown up’ as a band, but mentioned that they can see that the gradual grind has been paying off and that they’re finally here. Among the heartfelt appreciation, there was also the audience convincing the band into the infamous Shoey ritual, courtesy of drummer Garrison, he may have been a bit reluctant in partaking in the beverage out of a shoe.
The setlist was made up of a great mix of both older and newer tracks, with the likes of newer songs “Same Page” and “Save My Life” and older ones, “Less Than I Do” and “Haunted”. The trio exuded a cool confidence from the stage, the band and crowd fed off each other’s energy, and crowd participation was at an all time high, with everyone singing along to every word, even louder when motioned to take over on the vocals. As the night drew to a close, the band skipped the formalities, opting to stay on stage for an electrifying encore. Closing out the night with their most well known anthem, “See Through,” they left the crowd buzzing with excitement and longing for more. Expressing their gratitude once more for the overwhelming support, the band gathered at the centre of the stage, offering a collective bow to the audience. Cheers from the crowd carried on long after they departed the stage.
The band’s sold-out debut in Australia showcases their undeniable appeal. With complete albums packed with hits, they effortlessly exceeded expectations in a live setting, delivering a studio-quality sound, along with their captivating energy makes for a show that isn’t to be missed. I cannot recommend this band enough to anyone, and I cannot wait for them to be back over this side of the world, and hopefully a lot sooner this time.
